Language, Philosophy, and Culture
Critical Thinking
Criteria
Explanation of issues
1 – Developing
2 – Sufficient
Student states issue(s) with
limited understanding or clarity.
Student states issue(s) with
displaying understanding but
lacks clarity, leaving ambiguities.
Information is basic but
acknowledges the potential
complexities of an issue.
When appropriate, evidence is
accepted as mostly fact with
limited coherent analysis or
synthesis.
Analysis and synthesis of
information (evidence,
perspective, or thesis/hypothesis)
Information is overly-simplistic
and lacks synthesis.
When appropriate, evidence is
taken from source(s) without any
evaluation and simply taken as
fact.
Conclusion/Culminating
Explanation
Conclusion is loosely related to
Conclusion is weakly or not tied to the information discussed and but
the information discussed.
shows limited synthesis of
information to arrive at point.
3 ‒ Proficient
4 – Exemplary
Student states issue(s) with
clarity, displaying a mature
understanding and awareness.
Student states issue(s) clearly and
displays a comprehensive
understanding and awareness.
Information is adequate and
student generally takes into
account the potential complexities
of an issue and/or other points of
view.
When appropriate evidence is
accepted with some scrutiny,
acknowledging the potential for
additional analysis and synthesis.
Conclusion is tied to the
information discussed, displaying
utilization and some synthesis of
information to arrive at
conclusion/ culminating
explanation.
Information is comprehensive,
and student actively incorporates
and analyzes the potential
complexities of the issue and/or
other points of view
When appropriate, evidence is
subject to questioning and
information is developed into a
coherent analysis and synthesis.
Conclusion displays a
comprehensive synthesis of
information discussed in order to
arrive at conclusion/culminating
explanation.
Edited 7/14/2015
Language, Philosophy, and Culture
Courses in this category focus on how ideas, values, beliefs, and other aspects of culture express and affect human experience. Courses involve the exploration of
ideas that foster aesthetic and intellectual creation in order to understand the human condition across cultures.
Core Objectives

Critical Thinking Skills: To include creative thinking, innovation, inquiry, and analysis, evaluation and synthesis of information

Communication Skills: To include effective development, interpretation and expression of ideas through written, oral and visual communication

Personal Responsibility: To include the ability to connect choices, actions and consequences to ethical decision-making

Social Responsibility: To include intercultural competence, knowledge of civic responsibility, and the ability to engage effectively in regional, national,
and global communities